Is Mark Cuban A “Problem” for the NBA?

Sometimes, I think professional sports association commissioners sound like the occupants of the front pew, worrying about what’s wrong with kids today while fighting off a wicked case of the vapors by flapping their lilac-scented, embroidered hankies.

Vincent said, “I think it’s more important for owners to be gentlemen, play by the rules, respect the authorities, do what’s good for the sport, than it is to manage his franchise to total success. The subtleties make the difference.Â George Steinbrenner was a real problem in baseball, and I think Mark Cuban is a real problem in basketball.”

May I just say, politely, Whisky Tango Foxtrot Ever. Is Mark Cuban sometimes annoying? Yes. Does his face bother me? Yes. Were the weeks he was silent during the championship run a blessed event? Sure. But passion for the sport and a desire to see it officiated fairly is not a thing that is bad for basketball. Neither is the money he spends on his team. And I’m fairly certain the MLB has enjoyed the benefits of the Yankee’s largesse under Steinbrenner’s control, too.

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Comments

meddling moderate

I didn’t even know Fay Vincent was still alive.

He also said this in that interview:
“I mean, winning is not everything, and I’m afraid for some of these owners. They get so carried away with winning, they believe that’s the objective.”

Winning is NOT the objective? Owners are suppose to pony up half a billion or more for a pro franchise and not be consumed/obsessed with building a winner?

Idiotic perspective, but I guess it makes the commissioner’s job easier to have a bunch of “Stepford” owners sipping tea in their owner’s boxes.

JustAnOpinion007

I agree with your paragraph about Cuban. His silence during the Championship run was bliss. I also agree with Cuban that NBA officiating needs to be overhauled. Some of the calls against/for both teams were so ridiculous that I was wishing they had instant replay officiating for the NBA. The problem is that the officiating is TOO subjective and the refs call is the end-all-be-all. That’s too much power given to them because if a touch of Dirk’s arm/hand is/isn’t a foul the 1st time, it is/isn’t the 2nd time. Or throwing out an arm/elbow to make room for a shot is an offensive the 1st time, it should be the next. There just needs to be a little more continuity and consistency.

Fay Vincent took seriously his charge to run baseball for the good of the game — not just the owners, not the players, not television or even the fans in the stands, but all of them together — the game. He was fired by MLB owners for showing too much independence. Fay Vincent was the last independent commissioner in any sport. If Mark Cuban is truly concerned about bad officiating (and not just calls that go against his team), he could do worse than appoint a Fay Vincent as commissioner.